Google Reader to shut down in July as part of app "spring clean"

Google has announced that it is to shut down Google Reader in the summer.

The firm revealed that the RSS aggregator service will end on July 1 as part of a wider "spring cleaning", which will see a number of older applications closed down.

Google Reader screenshot

Google wrote in an official blog post: "We know Reader has a devoted following who will be very sad to see it go. We're sad too.

"There are two simple reasons for this - usage of Google Reader has declined, and as a company we're pouring all of our energy into fewer products. We think that kind of focus will make for a better user experience.

"To ensure a smooth transition, we're providing a three-month sunset period so you have sufficient time to find an alternative feed-reading solution. If you want to retain your Reader data, including subscriptions, you can do so through Google Takeout."

The company added: "Thank you again for using Reader as your RSS platform."

Google Cloud Connect, Google Building Maker and the Google Voice App for BlackBerry are among the other apps being axed to allow the company to "focus" on the opportunities of today's "new kind of computing environment".